Improvement in lock-hinges



0. N. BUTTON.

Look-Hinge nted Nov. 26,1878

Pate

V [Ah 0 [71 venian' ry 9 I Jflomey.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFIGE.

UHAUNOEY N. DUTTON, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN LOCK-HINGES.

, Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 210,305, datedNovember 26, 1878; application filed October 2, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OHAUNOEY N. DUTToN, of Washington, in the county ofWashington and District of Columbia, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Automatically-Locking Hinges; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and

exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of hinges which are usually employedin hinging window shutters and blinds; but my improved hinge may also beapplied to doors and gates, lids and covers, or wherever such hinges areapplicable, so that the parts can be locked in any desired position,whether closed or open, or artially open, as occasion may require.

The invention consists in a hinge of peculiar construction, made in twoparts, onehaving a central recess, provided with a series of notches inits inner periphery, and the other having a slotted pintle and providedwith a locking-lever, which operates automatically in the mannersubstantially as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1. is an elevation of my improvedhinge, shown wide open. Fig. 2 is aview, partlyin section, showing thefemale or upper half of the hinge. Fig. 3 is a similar View, showing themale portion, with the locking-lever attached thereto, shown inelevation. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the lower or male part, and Fig. 5is a similar view of the upper or female part, of the hinge reversed.Fig. 6 is a plan or top view of the locking-lever detached.

Referring to the parts by letters, A represents the male portion orhalf, and A the female part of the hinge.

As shown bythe drawings, the working parts of the portion A are arrangedbeneath, or so as to fit into, the corresponding parts of the otherportion, A, arranged above the part A; but, as will be evident to thoseskilled in the art, the position of the parts may be reversed, yet stillbe within the scope of my invention. The parts A A are provided withsuitable bolt or screw holes a, so that by the use of suitable screws orbolts'they may be securely fastened to the shutter, doors, or gates,850., to which they may be applied.

The part A has a central pintle or shaft, 13, which is formed with avertical slot or groove, 1), said slot or groove at its lower end havinga central projection, O. This projection 0 constitutes the bearing forthe locking-lever D, said bearing being knife-edged, conical, or of anysuitable form.

The part A is also provided with a lateral recess or groove, a, and aguide or staple, a, for the purpose of receiving and holding in properposition the locking-lever D. Said locking-lever is provided at itsouter extremity with a thumb-piece, d, and its inner end is formed withan elbow or projecting part, (1, the bearing of the lever being formedwith a notch, 0, corresponding with the form of the projection O.

The portion A of the hinge is formed with an annular recess, F, for thereception of the male projection B of the part A; and between saidrecess F and the periphery of said portion of the hinge a series ofradial recesses, f, are provided, into one or other of which the portioncl of the locking-lever D drops automatically when said lever is notheld up by hand. Said portion A is also formed with an annular recess,I, and the other portion, A,

with an annular gain or shoulder, i, which fits the recess I, therebyforming a bearing for the two parts of the hinge without pressure uponthe pintle B or pivot on which the parts turn; and to further avoid suchpressure on the pintle, the recess F is made somewhat longer than thepintle, and with a shoulder, f. The portion A is also provided withlateral flanges a, which fit over the corresponding edges of the part A,preventing the insertion of any tool which might move the locking-leverD, and thereby pick the look from the outside, and also serve to preventthe ingress of water, snow, or other extraneous matter which mightinterfere with the operation of the hinge. As a further means ofpreventing the picking of the lock, the part A is formed with aprojection or offset, e, which fits a correspondin g recess, 0, formedin the part A when the two parts are brought together. The part A isalso formed with a recess, h, to receive the guide or staple a.

The projection d on the end of the lockinglever D is made wedge-shapedin form, and said lever is enlarged in width toward its central point,as clearly shown by Fig. 6 of the drawings.

The object of making the locking-projection d wedge-shaped is tocompensate for wear and always insure of its engagement with therecesses f of the portion A; and, if desired, said recesses f may alsobe made wedge-shaped in form.

The object of enlarging the lever D is to make it loosely fit the recessa and prevent any unnecessary lateral movement of said lever, butwithout interfering with its movement in a vertical direction.

\Vhen the hinge is applied to doors, gates, &c., the position of thelocking-lever D is reversed; and, as will be evident to those skilled inthe art, by a slight alteration in the construction of the parts theprojecting end of the lever may be located in any suitable or desirableposition convenient for operation.

If not fully understood from the foregoing description, the operation ofthe device may be described as follows:

So long as the hinge is in the position shown 'by Fig. 1 of the drawingit is locked in suitable position, the portion (1 of the lever Dengaging with the one or other of the recesses f.

In order to change the position of the shutter, door, gate, &c., thelever D is raised so as to disengage its end d from the notches f, whenthe readjustment may be effected.

It will be observed that, to readjust the position of shutter or door,&c., in this way, it is only necessary to raise the lever D, and

when the required position is attained the removal of pressure from thethumb-piece d permits the lever D to fall by its own gravity and engagewith the corresponding recess f, thereby loeking the shutter, door, orgate in the desired position automatically.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A hinge composed of the two parts or members A A, the one part havinga central recess, F, formed in its inner periphery, and series ofnotchesf, and the other part having a slotted pintle, B, andlocking-lever D, constructed and operating substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

2. In a hinge constructed substantially as described, the part A,provided with a central bearing, 0, and recess 0/,in combination withthe locking-lever D, having the notch c and wedge-shaped projection 61,and with the part A, provided with the notches f, operatingsubstantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The part A, having the annular recess I and the recess 0, incombination with the part A, having the shoulder i and projection oroifset 0, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The portion A, constructed with the lateral flanges a, which fit overthe corresponding edges of the part A, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own 1 aiiix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

GHAUNOEY N. DUTTON.

Witnesses l). G. STUART, A. MoOALLUM.

